STAND. COM. REP. NO.1368

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: H.B. No. 176

H.D. 1

S.D. 2

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 176, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE WEED AND SEED PROGRAM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for the expansion of Weed and Seed programs.

In addition, this measure would establish a temporary interdepartmental council for the special purpose of contracting with nonprofit corporations, coordinating policy, disbursing public funds, and implementing community plans related to implementing new Weed and Seed programs in interested communities.

Your Committee finds that the federal government will fund up to three sites per county for Weed and Seed programs. The first chosen program, Kalihi-Palama/Chinatown, established in 1998, has been successful since its inception. Two other sites have been subsequently designated, Waipahu in 2000 and Ewa-Ewa Beach in 2002. These programs' success warrant expansion into other communities. This expansion would require additional funding and the interdepartmental council to manage and implement new Weed and Seed programs.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Placing the interdepartmental council in the Department of Human Services for administrative purposes;

(2) Changing the funding for grant writing services to the Department of Human Services; and

(3) Changing the effective date to facilitate further discussion on this measure.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 176, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 176, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair